Squeeze-to-use fluid dispensers



Oct. 29, 1957 J. D. BOWEN SQUEEZE-TO-USE FLUID DISPENSERS Filed April 6, 1956 INVENTOR JOHN D. BOWEN States Patent 'SQUEEZE-TO-USE DISPENSERS John D. Bowen, Ajo, Ariz.

Application-April'fi, 1956., Serial N0. 576,602

Claims. (Cl- 222-109) The present invention relates :to squeeze-to use fluid dispensing 'devices and, more particularly, to improved means for controlling the discharge of the 'fluid either in the form .of droplets or in aspray.

Heretofore, influid containers or bottles of the squeezeto-use type, it has been difiicult to control the proper amount of fluid to be discharged when the container is squeezed, "due to the fact that there is developed Ea backlash in the nozzle caused by the incoming air "forcing more liquid out after the container has been squeezed.

Accordingly, an important o'bjectis to associate with a squeeze-to-use flexible container or bottle, :means preferably in the form of a depending tapered lip .or coneshaped plug, having an axialthrough bore and which may be either built into the discharge nozzle or inserted therein, so that, when the flexible container is in an upright position and squeezed to force the fluid therefrom, the fluid impinging on the lip is caused to drop back into the container as the excess air is being expelled. Additionally, the lip or cone-shaped plug, when the container is inverted, provides means for insuring the discharge of the fluid in uniform droplets. Also, when the container is inverted, the application of pressure to the flexible body causes the fluid or liquid to be squirted or discharged therefrom in any desired amount and without developing backlash or waste of the fluid due to discharging more of the same than is necessary.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying claims and drawmgs.

Referring to the drawings, in which are shown several preferred embodiments the invention may assume:

Figure 1 is a side view, with parts in section, of a squeeze-to-use container provided with a removable cap and lip or plug constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side view of a modified form of the invention, with parts in section; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged detailed perspective view of a lip or cone-shaped plug, shown in Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings, indicates a squeeze-touse plastic flexible container or bottle which may be formed of polyethylene or the like. Within the container 10 may be any suitable fluid or liquid and, in order to insure the uniform and proper discharge of the contents of the container when the same is in either an upright position or when it is inverted, the reduced neck 11 is suitably detachably connected to a plastic cap or closure member 12, such as by being provided with the external threads 13 for receiving the complementary internal threads 14 formed on the inner wall of the annular enlarged base 15 of the cap or cover 12.

Extending upwardly and centrally from the base 15 is a tapered nozzle 16 formed with the lower hollow portion 17 and an upper solid or integral portion 18. The

2,81 1,283 Patented Oct. 29 1957 solid portion 18 --has extending downwardly and centrally therefrom a tapered lip or portion -19 which preferably is disposedso as to converge inwardly toward the-container when the ,parts are assembled. The tapered lip or-depending member 19 is shown molded or integrally connect'ed with the solid (portion 18 and both have an axial through bore or :restricted orifice 20, which communicates with the neck 11 of the container'to provide the discharge passage for dispensing the contents of the containertherefrom either=in-a controlledthin spray or-drop by drop.

Instead of forming the tapered nozzle of the cap with an integral depending tapered lip, it may be tprovided with a removable plug-21 (Fig. 3) which is formed with an upper cone-shaped portion 22 and a substantially similar cone-shaped lower =lip or portion 23. A plastic closure cap or coverl24 =is,providedat its lower 'end with an enlarged annular base 25 arranged to be detachably connected -.to the neck .11 of a :plastic container-or bottle in any suitable manner. The base 25 has-extending :upwardly and centrally therefrom a tapered nozzle 26 in-the top :or apex of which is a discharge orifice 27. The plastic cone-shaped :plug 21 is arranged to be inserted into the nozzle 24 when the cap is removed from the container 11, so that the upper cone shaped portion 22 is forced into. tight sealing engagement with {the complementary formed tapered inner wall of then'ozzle, as at 28. The il owler :lip or conc shaped portion '23 of the plug 25 is spaced from the inner wall of the nozzle and converges downwardly or inwardly toward the base 25, so as to provide a gradually increasing space that extends inwardly towards the base 25. The plug 21 has an axial restricted bore or aperture 29 extending therethrough, which communicates with the orifice 27 in the top of the nozzle when the plug is inserted therein, and

which also communicates at its lower end with the neck 11 of the flexible container 10. Since the plug 21 may be removably inserted within the nozzle, it may be conveniently withdrawn to clean the same or to be replaced.

Thus, it will be seen that, in both forms of the invention, the cap of the container is provided with a depending lip, so as to provide simple, eflicient, economical, and positive means for controlling the discharge of the fluid or liquid either in droplet form or in a thin spray, when the container is in an upright position or inverted.

It will be seen that, when the lip or cone-shaped member is positioned Within the cap, no further adjustment of the parts is necessary. Moreover, when the container is in an upright position and squeezed to force the fluid therefrom, the fluid impinging on the lip is caused to drop back into the container while the excess air is being expelled through the axial bore in the lip. The novel arrangement and shape of the lip or cone-shaped member also enables the accurate control of the amount of fluid being dispensed from the container when the same is used as an eyedropper. In other words, the fluid may be discharged either in the form of drops or squirted out in the form of a thin stream or spray in any amount desired without developing backlash, and thus to avoid waste or loss of the fluid. The particular configuration and location of the lip or cone-shaped member serves to keep the liquid from moving up the sides of the discharge nozzle as the excess air escapes through the restricted bore. Also, this arrangement lets a drop out at a time of the fluid, when the bottle is in an inverted position without requiring the application of pressure on the body of the bottle.

It will be understood that the forms of the invention shown are merely illustrative of preferred embodiments and that such changes may be made as come within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A fluid dispenser of the class described, including a flexible squeeze-to-use body having a reduced neck, a cap detachably connected to said neck and provided with a tapered nozzle having a restricted aperture in the topthereof, a conical plug within said cap and having an axial restricted bore communicating with said aperture, said plug having a depending tapered lip converging inwardly towards the container and spaced from the adjacent inner wall of the nozzle, said tapered lip providing means when the container is in an upright position and the fluid in the container impinges thereon, for causing the fluid to fall in the container as the excess air is expelled through said bore in order that only the desired amount of fluid be discharged therefrom when the container is squeezed. i

p 2. A liquiddispenser of the class described, including a flexible squeeze-to-use body having a reduced neck, a cap having an enlarged annular base detachably connected to said neck, said base having an outwardly tapered nozzle extending upwardly therefrom, said nozzle having a depending tapered lip therein converging inwardly towards the base and spaced therefrom, the parts 4 fixed position when the parts are assembled, said lip when the container is inverted constituting a dropper for insuring the liquid being dispensed in uniform drops.

4. A liquid container of the class described, including a flexible body having a reduced neck, a cap detachably connected to the container, said cap having a tapered nozzle extending upwardly therefrom, and a substantially cone-shaped lip within said nozzle and spaced from the wall thereof, said lip when the container is in an upright position and squeezed causing the liquid to be discharged therefrom in any desired amount, said lip when the container is inverted causing the liquid in the container to be discharged in uniform droplets without requiring squeezing of the flexible body.

being constructed and arranged so that when the container is in an upright position and squeezed to force the liquid through the nozzle, the liquid which impinges on the lip falls back in the container as the excess air is expelled through said bore so as to control the dis- H charge of the liquid from the container.

3. A liquid dispenser, as called for in claim 2, in which said tapered lip has a conical portion projecting into the upper part of said nozzle so as to maintain the lip in a 5. A fluid dispenser of the class described including a flexible squeeze-to-use body having a neck, a cap having a hollow base and a nozzle extending upwardly from the base, means for connecting the base to the container, said nozzle having a depending lip extending downwardly and spaced above the base, and said nozzle and lip having an axial through bore communicating with the base for dispensing the liquid in the container, said lip providing means when the container is in an upright position and is squeezed to cause any fluid that impinges thereon to drop into the container as the excess air is expelled through said bore in order that the desired amount of fluid be discharged therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,277,936 r Rosenblatt Mar. 31, 1942 

